King Cobra Carry vs Cobra...

[trist007]

I mainly shoot 38 special and I am looking for a new model colt for a concealed carry revolver. It seems like the king cobra is shorter lengthwise but is wider cause of the 357 cylinder. It is also heavier by an ounce. I usually just use DA. Usually snubs are no fun to shoot at the range because your hand starts to sting after 50 rounds. I would like to shoot this gun a lot at the range and 25 ounces with some gloves on should be comfortable to shoot 200 rounds. Do they both use the same LL2 leafspring trigger? Which would you guys choose?

 

[Styx]

I mainly shoot 38 special and I am looking for a new model colt for a concealed carry revolver. It seems like the king cobra is shorter lengthwise but is wider cause of the 357 cylinder. It is also heavier by an ounce. I usually just use DA. Usually snubs are no fun to shoot at the range because your hand starts to sting after 50 rounds. I would like to shoot this gun a lot at the range and 25 ounces with some gloves on should be comfortable to shoot 200 rounds. Do they both use the same LL2 leafspring trigger? Which would you guys choose?

I have a 3" King Cobra. Google search says the standard Cobra uses the leaf spring, but I'd still choose the King Cobra over the Cobra. The size, weight, and width are negligible, and you gain the option to shoot 357, you gain an extra round, and the King Cobra will hold it's value better.

 

[Kleanbore]

you gain an extra round,

No, they are both six round revolvers.

 

[Frulk]

I think Styx meant you have the option to shoot .357 Mag. In effect another round (caliber).

 

[Pat Riot]

I think Styx meant you have the option to shoot .357 Mag. In effect another round (caliber).

That’s how I interpreted it.

I have no experience with these Colts, but 1 ounce more isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I had a S&W 60 Pro j frame. It weighed 23 ounces. With .38s it was a nice shooter. With .357 it was quite “invigorating”, to put it nicely. With + P .38 I still wished for just a little more weight.

 

[trist007]

Do you lose accuracy shooting 38 specials in a longer 357 cylinder?

 

[Riomouse911]

I haven’t noticed much, if any, difference in accuracy shooting .38’s through my .357’s, the rounds are very accurate for self defense and target applications in a wide variety of guns. I shoot maybe 75 .38’s and 25 .357’s out of every 100 I fire through my .357 magnums, I prefer not to beat myself up all that much anymore.

As the owner of a few 5-shot snub S&W revolvers in steel and alloy, a SP 101 .38 and a new 6-shot Colt Cobra .38, the Cobra is by far the best of the lot when it comes to all-around carry-ability, shoot-ability and conceal-ability.

The King Cobras are more like my 3” K frame S&W Model 13 than it is to the 2” snubs; somewhat larger and heavier, but with the plus of the .357 Mag option. The KC’s will also shoot much nicer at the range with the .38’s than the snubs will... but the Cobra .38 is not a bad shooter at all. The trade off is more weight on the belt and a little bit more bulge under a jacket.

If you can, before you plunk down $600 to $900 (or more!) for a revolver try to handle all that are available and see how they might fit into your intended role. You may be turned off by the weight of a full-lug KC for everyday concealed carry...or you may find it’s perfect! Only a side by side comparison will really let you see how they feel to you. (If you can shoot them that’s even better!)

Guns ain’t cheap, nor are they very easy to come by, during this panic buying frenzy. I’d hate to see you buy something you end up not liking .

Good luck with your search. Stay safe.

 

[Old Dog]

I chose both. As a snubby, the Cobra is not difficult nor punishing to shoot quite a bit during a range session. If all you're ever going to feed it is .38 Specials, just get the Cobra; it's easily concealed, has the nice fiber-optic front sight and feels substantially lighter than the King Cobra. The triggers on both are superb. I, however, do find myself shooting the King Cobra more often, though. More fun and the range, and options are good.

 

[Zendude]

I chose both. As a snubby, the Cobra is not difficult nor punishing to shoot quite a bit during a range session. If all you're ever going to feed it is .38 Specials, just get the Cobra; it's easily concealed, has the nice fiber-optic front sight and feels substantially lighter than the King Cobra. The triggers on both are superb. I, however, do find myself shooting the King Cobra more often, though. More fun and the range, and options are good.
View attachment 993374

An old thread, I know, but I’m trying to figure out if there is any difference between the Cobra and King Cobra other than the cylinder chamber length. The frame, crane lock up, and grip seem the same on both. Both are made in a 2 inch barrel, which would be my preference.

 

[UncleEd]

Regardless of the gun or its caliber,
"fatigue" is bound to set in.

Why do range sessions have to involve
shooting beyond the point at which
one is at his/her peak which is during
the onset of the session.

That peak can wane after as few as
a dozen rounds.

The worth of long shooting sessions
is dubious, especially when considering
basically defensive handguns.

 

[RainDodger]

I have numerous S&Ws and recently acquired a 3" King Cobra - my first Colt since the 1970s. The KC out-of-the-box action is far smoother and nicer than any new S&W I sampled. For carry, I think the 3" King Cobra is just about ideal. Far nicer to shoot than my 2" S&W Model 60, and it feels much more compact than my 2 1/2" S&W Model 66. Yes, it's a defensive revolver, but it also does very, very well with .38 Special wadcutters at the range. I'm happy enough that I've now gone "retro" and I'm carrying a revolver again for the first time in decades. It carries well and I believe it handles better than the shorter barreled revolvers.

 

[golden]

TRIS,

I think the 2 guns are almost interchangable, except for the caliber and small weight gain. I would try both guns side by side and buy the one with the better trigger. All else seems to be similar, but I prefer longer barrels, so a 3 inch would be a plus and a 4 inch is my preference for revolvers. I really like the KING COBRA TARGET, it reminds me of the wonderful COLT Diamondback.

Jim

 

[1-12 INF (M)]

If you like shooting these guns, check out Cavalryammunition.com. We have ammo optimized for short-barreled revolvers to cut down on muzzle flash, using powders that are efficient in short barrels - using the King Cobra as our test gun. It's excellent - great trigger and plenty accurate.

 

[dh1633pm]

I have the King Cobra. I have shot some .357 but mostly .357's that I have loaded to +P 38 levels. These are the most comfortable. Shooting gloves help to be able to shoot more at the range. Especially with .357 magnum loads. Its a nice pistol. Trigger is sweet. For most shooting, I am sticking with the hand loads at the +P 38 level. They work just fine.